Aces on Bridge — Daily Columns

The Aces on Bridge: Wednesday, April 6th, 2022


3 Comments

bobbywolffApril 20th, 2022 at 1:12 pm

Hi Everyone,

Although arithmetic is not my short suit, I would hate it if someone wanted me to compute the odds on the winning line to which this declarer took, especially in diamonds where he rose with the ace in dummy, upon his first lead of the suit.

That mammoth result allowed him to then test the black suits in the best possible percentage way for success and thus, because of that, succeeded.

Whether that was actually the best overall percentage line or not, is up to someone else, not I (said the duck, but really the Wolff). However, while covering or should I say cowering, I’ll let everyone or anyone else so qualified, to determine.

At any rate, I’ll follow a no doubt proven method of finding out, by allowing this declarer, by succeeding, to issue the key words of assessing positively whether or not, he took the best line, possibly a different one than the line he took.

BTW, any other one interested can now join in and even enthusiastically, offer his or her own, opinion.

Good luck with that.

Iain ClimieApril 20th, 2022 at 11:21 pm

Hi Bobby,

Should west split his honours with KQ98 (say) on a small D lead, though? What if East perhaps improbably had DJ alone? It does come Down to single dummy defence perhaps.

Regards,

Iain

bobbywolffApril 21st, 2022 at 1:40 am

Hi Iain,

Probably not, since partner could have the singleton J and/or declarer not inserting the 10 (as you suggested), even while holding the jack himself.

However, only The Shadow (aka Lamont Cranston) knows for sure and his name remains in the shadows of antiquity.